


we're looking for something dumb to do

by rxginamills



Category: Girl Meets World
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bisexual Riley Matthews, F/F, F/M, High School, Lesbian Character, Lesbian Maya Hart, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-01-23 07:18:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,787
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18544948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rxginamills/pseuds/rxginamills
Summary: Maya really, really wants to marry Riley, and she'll be damned before she lets their reluctant families get in her way.





	we're looking for something dumb to do

Maya had faced disappointment in her life before, probably more than a high school senior should have, but when she put her mind to something, she wasn’t taking no for an answer. 

That was probably the reason she and her mother were locked in an argument that seemed to last forever. Maya was not backing down, but for this once Katy wished she would. 

”Maya, I don’t think it’s a good idea.” 

”Why not? Please explain, go ahead.” 

There was fire in Maya’s eyes and a promise ring on her finger that was the exact replica of the friendship ring Riley had gotten her for her 14th birthday, and these were the things keeping her going. 

”I just— I’m not sure if you even properly know what you want. I don’t want you to rush into anything.” Katy explained. She hated doing this because she knew how much it meant for Maya. 

”I know this, mom. I’m sure about Riley and the two of us, for the rest of my life.” Maya said. Katy brushed a hand through her hair.

”Shawn!” she exclaimed, ”Would you come here for a second, honey?” 

Shawn entered the living room, a look of concern on his face. He put an arm around Katy’s waist in an instant.

”What’s the matter? Are you okay?” he asked. Katy sighed and looked at Maya.

”Maya wants to propose to Riley.” 

Maya looked at her father desperately, searching for the last string of hope she was holding on to. Shawn’s eyes widened at this information.

”Wow, uh... that’s a big thing, kid. Have you thought it through?” he asked. 

”Yes!” Maya nodded furiously, ”I’ve loved Riley ever since we met, when I didn’t even know what love was. Even when I had no idea of my feelings for her, I knew that she was the only one who made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. She was the girl I sat up every night thinking about. I’ve never been as happy as I am with her. I want to give her my nana’s ring and make her my wife.”

Maya paused, cheeks flushed intensely. 

”But it won’t feel right if my family is against it.” 

Shawn sat down on the couch, pulling Katy with him. Maya had no idea what to do next. She had opened her heart to her parents. Their disapproval wouldn’t stop her from proposing to Riley, but the thought of them being against the idea shattered her heart. 

”You’re in high school, Maya.” Shawn started carefully. 

”We graduate in a few months!” Maya exclaimed immediately. 

”I know, just let me finish,” Shawn kept going, ”Look, Maya, I know you love Riley more than anything. I know what that kind of love feels like.” 

He glanced at Katy, who leaned into him and kissed his shoulder. Maya couldn’t help but smile a little.

”I just want you to be sure of what you’re doing. You’re both 18 years old, getting engaged is a big commitment at your age. I know that nothing I say can stop you, but I just want you to tell me from the bottom of your heart that you’re sure of this.” Shawn said, looking deep into Maya’s eyes. She exhaled softly.

”She’s my Topanga.” 

Shawn looked at Katy, who raised a brow. 

”She’s done,” Shawn told his wife, ”She’ll never love anyone else like she loves Riley.” 

The look on Katy’s face turned more gentle. She stood up and took Maya’s hands into her own. 

”You keep her close, baby girl,” she whispered with tears in her eyes, ”Keep her real close.” 

”Mom, are you crying?” Maya asked with a shaky voice. Katy chuckled.

”My daughter’s getting married, of course I’m crying!” 

They hugged tightly. Maya felt like screaming out of pure happiness.

”So you’re cool with it?” she questioned. Katy kissed her head.

”There’s nothing I can do to stop you from proposing to Riley. All I want is for you to be happy. Nana would be so proud of you. Her ring is going for a beautiful girl.” 

Maya hugged Katy again, squealing and jumping on her feet at the same time.

"Just—" Katy raised her voice, "Just promise me that if Riley's parents aren't okay with it, you will respect that."

"I promise, mom."

Maya was one step closer to making Riley her wife. Her next destination was the Matthews residence, and _that_ was what truly terrified her. Asking for their blessing. 

 

* * *

 

Maya felt as if there was a huge rock jammed into her chest as Cory Matthews opened the door to his apartment. She loved the Matthews family, they had been a family to her when she had felt like she had none. They helped her reconnect with her mom and find a real, good and kind father for her to look up to for the rest of her life. Most importantly, though, they had given her Riley. Sweet, beautiful Riley who had sunshine written all over her entire existence. The Riley, who made Maya the happiest girl every single day. 

"Hi Maya!" Cory said cheerfully, "What's up?"

"Hey Matthews, is Riley home?" Maya asked, fiddling with her fingers.

"Not right now," answered Cory, "I'm surprised she isn't with you."

"Not this time. I'm actually here to talk to you and Topanga."

Cory frowned, "Is something wrong?"

"I hope not. Can I come in?"

Cory stepped aside to allow Maya to enter. She headed straight for the kitchen table while Topanga, having heard the commotion, joined her and Cory. They sat opposite of Maya on the other side of the table. Maya found it relieving, for it would give her more time to run away if Cory decided to chase her around the block after hearing what she had planned. 

"Maya, what's going on? You seem so serious." Topanga looked concerned. 

"Well, what I'm about to tell you _is_ serious. Probably kinda crazy too. Promise me you'll be open-minded." Maya said. Cory and Topanga looked at each other and then back to the blonde.

"We promise." Cory answered. Maya took a deep breath. 

"Okay," she started, "You both know I love Riley. I always have. She keeps me here, grounded, safe and happy. There wouldn't be a Maya without a Riley. We belong together and I have every intention to spend the rest of my life with her."

Topanga had quietly laced her fingers with Cory's while Maya was talking. Maya pulled something from inside her jacket and set it on the table in front of Riley's parents. 

"I want to give your daughter this ring and ask her to marry me." 

Maya popped open the lid of the ring box, revealing a delicate, cushion-cut emerald engagement ring. It had seen a lot of life and been worn by plenty of people and Maya wanted nothing more than to put it on Riley's finger. Topanga and Cory simply stared at it, seemingly at a loss for words. 

"Maya…" Topanga breathed unsurely. Maya's heart started thumping in her chest. 

"Please talk to me, please," Maya said quietly, "I don't want you to hate me."

Her voice broke Topanga's heart just a little bit. She struggled to speak.

"We don't hate you, honey, we could never hate you," she finally said, "We're just surprised." 

"Yeah, when you came over we didn't think it would be to… to ask our blessing to marry Riley!" Cory exclaimed. Maya sighed. She knew where it was going. It had started the same way with her mother. She feared Riley's parents wouldn't be so easily convinced. 

"I love Riley." Maya stated confidently. Loving Riley was the only thing she had ever been sure of. 

"We know that," Topanga said, "But don't you think you're a little young to get married? Are you even sure of what you're doing?"

"Listen, I don't know anything about life," Maya started, "Or school, or my future, or what I'm going to have for lunch tomorrow, or geometry. I probably don't know half of the things you knew when you were my age. The only thing I do know is that I love Riley more than anything in this world. I've always known that she was the only one for me, even when I had no idea I liked girls or what falling in love felt like. We've been dating since freshman year of high school, alright, that's four years now, and I've loved her since we met. If anyone knows what that's like, it's you two. Please look at it my way. Please."

Maya had always looked up to Cory and Topanga. She and Riley found their story incredibly romantic. They had loved each other since they were babies, before they even knew it, and they had gone through countless trials and challenges to finally marry each other after high school and enter college as a married couple. Cory would've done anything for Topanga and she for him, and eventually their parents saw it as more than just puppy love. Everything the two of them were to each other, Riley was for Maya. 

"Maya, we— we know that there's no one better to take care of our daughter than you. You're soulmates." Cory said.

"Like us." he and Topanga continued in unison, causing both of them to smile for a moment before focusing on Maya again. 

"But I'm unsure of whether marriage is the best decision for you right now, at 18 years old," Cory had a sad look on his face, "And that's why I don't know if we can give you our blessing. Not yet.”

Maya felt her heart crack and splinter. She hated to accept what Riley's parents were saying. Even if they were right, even if there was sense in what they were telling her, it still broke her inside. She wanted to kneel down in front of Riley and ask her to marry her and watch her smile that beautiful smile of hers and they would take on the world together. None of that would happen now. 

"Okay," she said with tears in her eyes, "Okay. I promised my mom I would respect your decision, and I will.”

She took the ring from the table and headed out of the door, leaving Topanga and Cory staring after her. Before she slammed the door behind her she turned back.

"Just know that when Riley and I talked about getting engaged someday, she told me that she wanted to be proposed to with all her family and friends there. It would mean the world to her, and to me, to have you there. But I guess not."

Maya left the apartment. Topanga leaned her head on Cory's shoulder, keeping her eyes on the front door.

"You know that girl will propose to our daughter anyway," she breathed, "We got engaged and married at 18, didn't we?"

"We did, because we were in love with each other, and we still are. I remember yelling my lungs out at my parents when they tried to stop us. We turned out pretty good despite getting married so young." Cory explained, brushing Topanga's hand with his thumb.

"So why are we holding them back?" she asked, lifting her head from Cory's shoulder, "They're ready, Cory. We have to accept that they're ready."

Cory remained silent. He simply cupped Topanga's face and pulled her into a kiss. She smiled onto his lips, feeling like a high school girl again. 

"We can still catch Maya. Come on!" she then exclaimed, darting out of the door. Cory ran after her and down the stairs to find Maya starting to cross the street. Topanga pulled on her arm right before she stepped off the sidewalk. She had been crying.

"What are you guys doing?" she asked. 

"Wipe those tears, Maya," Cory said, "I don't ever want to make my daughter-in-law cry."

Maya's eyes went as wide as plates, "You mean…?"

"You have our blessing, today and every day. We want to see you propose to Riley and we want to see her say yes." Topanga smiled, brushing her hand through Maya's hair. Maya leapt to hug both of her in-laws with a smile on her face. All she needed to do now was get on one knee and propose to the girl of her dreams. 

 

* * *

  

"Peaches, where are we going?" 

"Shh, just keep your eyes closed and hold my hand."

Maya grasped Riley's hand, gradually growing more and more nervous. She led Riley up the last staircase and down the hallway until they reached a familiar apartment. Maya pushed the door open with one hand while guiding Riley with the other.

"Watch your step." she said and Riley took a large step through the door, causing Maya to laugh. 

"Why are you laughing at me?"

"No reason, you're just so cute. Okay, stand here."

Riley stood still while Maya went back to close the door. Riley was swaying on her tip toes. Maya settled in front of her and went down on one knee as quietly as possible. Two weeks had passed since Maya had fought for the blessings of her and Riley's parents and gotten both. This was the moment of truth. Maya was terrified.

"Alright, open your eyes, honey." Maya said, her heart beating crazy fast in her chest. Riley opened her eyes and gasped as her nearest and dearest yelled out, "Surprise!"

Topanga, Cory, Amy, Alan, Auggie, Katy and Shawn all stood in a half circle behind Maya, and Riley was too stunned at their presence to even notice her girlfriend on the floor ready to propose to her. Lucas, Zay, Farkle and Smackle were on the sidelines, grinning widely. Maya had decorated the living room with purple balloons and twinkling fairy lights. Riley had expected everyone to be out of town, because that was what Maya and her parents had told her, and suddenly they were all back home. She was especially surprised to find her grandparents there too.

"You're— you're all here! Oh, and the decorations! This is—"

"Riley." said Topanga.

"What?"

"Look." 

Suddenly Riley became aware of what Maya was doing and jumped back with a gasp. She put both of her hands on her mouth and tried to keep back tears as she saw Maya in front of her with that beautiful ring in her hand. 

"Peaches…" 

"I've loved you since the moment I first saw you," Maya began, "And I realized it was romantic when we were leaving middle school. Now we've walked through high school as a couple, and I want to end it with you as my fiancé. I'm never going to love anyone as much as I love you, and with this ring the whole world will know."

"Oh, Maya." Riley sobbed. 

"You said you wanted your family and friends to be there when you got proposed to, and here they are. Everyone I could get to come is here with you. Your parents and grandparents got married when they were our age and they're _clearly_ a bad influence because I just can't wait to make you my wife."

Everyone laughed at that. Cory and Alan squeezed their wives a little closer, knowing that Maya was right. Riley snuffled, overcome with emotion.

"So, Riley Matthews… Will you marry me?"

The whole world stopped breathing just then. Riley stared at the ring and at Maya, seemingly unable to say a word. Maya's knee wobbled a little. Topanga raised her hands to her chest, awaiting an answer from her daughter. Katy had both of her arms wrapped around Shawn's right one. 

All of a sudden Riley let out the smallest of sounds, causing Maya to almost fall on the floor.

"Yes."

"What?"

"I'll marry you."

"You will?!"

"Yes!"

Riley leapt into Maya's arms just as she jumped up on the floor, wrapping Riley in a hug. Everyone started cheering as Maya and Riley kissed. Topanga and Katy were crying by then, taking turns hugging each other and their husbands. Maya placed the ring on Riley's finger.

"It's perfect, my nana would love it." Maya said and admired the ring on Riley's delicate hand. 

"It's your nana's?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"Oh, it’s amazing," Riley hugged Maya, "I love you."

"I love you too, future Mrs. Hunter."

"Hunter-Matthews." corrected Riley, kissing her fiancé's cheek. Maya blushed.

"Whatever you want."

Riley went to hug her parents and Auggie while Maya shared an embrace with Katy and Shawn. Everything had worked out in the end. Riley was Maya's fiancé and she had her nana's ring on her finger and it was the most perfect moment in all of the universe.

Hope was no longer for suckers. It had stopped being for suckers long ago.

 


End file.
